METHOD OF PRODUCING RARE EARTH-CONTAINING ALLOY, RARE EARTH-CONTAINING ALLOY, METHOD OF PRODUCING RARE EARTH-CONTAINING ALLOY POWDER, RARE EARTH-CONTAINING ALLOY POWDER, METHOD OF PRODUCING RARE EARTH-CONTAINING ALLOY SINTERED COMPACT, RARE EARTH-CONTAINING ALLOY SINTERED COMPACT, MAGNETOSTRICTION ELEMENT, AND MAGNETIC REFRIGERATION WORKING SUBSTANCE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a technique of efficiently producing an NaZn₁₃ type rare earth-containing alloy.;SOLUTION: The method of producing a rare earth-containing alloy expressed by the formula of R(T_1-xA_x)_13-y (R is La, Ce or the like; T is Fe, Co or the like; A is Al, As or the like; and 0.05x0.2 and -1y1 are satisfied) comprises: a dissolution stage where an alloy raw material is dissolved at 1,200 to 1,800C; and a solidification stage where the molten metal obtained by the same stage is rapidly solidified to produce a rare earth-containing alloy. The cooling rate in the solidification stage is controlled to 10² to 10⁴C/s at least in the range from the temperature of the molten metal to 900C. Alternatively, the rare earth-containing alloy is expressed by R_rT_tA_a (R is La, Ce or the like; T is a transition metal element such as Fe; A is Al, As or the like; and, by atom, 5.0%r6.8%, 73.8%t88.7%, and 4.6%a19.4% are satisfied), and the alloy structure comprises an 85 mass% NaZn₁₃ type crystal structure and 5 to 15 mass% -Fe.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI